Fortessa da Arma HA1
The Fortessa da Arma HA1 ''(C; Fortress Tank, Heavy, 1) ''is a heavy tank design used by the Causeway National Army. Huge, highly armoured and extremely expensive to produce, the Fortress Tank, introduced in ERA 09-49, was at its time the largest armoured vehicle in service, weighing over 110 metric tonnes, and standing four times as tall as an average man. Design The HA1 was produced as a result of the Causewegian "Moving Fortress" doctrine; that superheavy, well defended armoured vehicles could operate alone, to both statically defend an area, or to lay siege to a heavily fortified enemy position. The first prototype was finished in ERA 09-48. From its introduction until the defeat of the Causeway National Army, 19 of these vehicles were completed and put into service. Performance The Fortress Tank was unique in its size, protection and armament. Due to its extreme weight, the vehicle could only move at a slow crawl, around 4mph. It was also very limited in its ability due to its large size; it could not go through towns or travel on roads due to its width and weight, could not cross bridges, and risked getting stuck or toppling over when traversing uneven ground. The tank's armament came in the form of two turrets; one armed with a 120mm Cannon, placed at the rear, and a smaller turret at the front, holding two 20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannons. The main gun proved to be powerful enough to both destroy heavy tanks and fortifications, while the 20mm Guns protected the vehicle from air attack, soft-skinned ground vehicles and infantry. A hydraulic lift was used to transport shells from the magazine within the hull up to the 120mm turret. Armour width on the HA1 was around 80mm in its thinnest areas, and upwards of 150mm in its thickest, giving the tank unprecedented protection against tank and artillery fire. However, the armour could not survive constant bombardment by bomber aircraft; a flaw that its size easily granted. The HA1 proved difficult and expensive to repair. A dedicated work crew with heavy equipment and tools would have to work around the clock to fix even the slightest of faults. This fact would lead to the destruction of many Fortress Tanks through disrepair. Operational History The Fortress Tank design saw action against the invading armies of the United Forces in the early days of the ERA 09-55 Total War, in ERA 09-49, where some of these vehicles were deployed as static defence units on the border against aggressors. As the situation began to deteriorate for the Causeway National Army, most of the operational HA1's were withdrawn to strongpoints in the Central and South-East regions of the nation of Causeway. As both doctrine and cost dictated, HA1's would often operate individually during battles, and while they proved difficult for enemy tanks to destroy, waves of ground attack aircraft could easily bypass the poor traverse of the 20mm Turret, and deliver a knockout strike. As the Causeway National Army neared defeat, the remaining Fortress Tanks were either hidden away for use later, or grouped together in Superheavy Formations, accompanied by conventional tanks and mobile artillery. In May ERA 09-49, at the Battle of Auburg, a formation of six FA1's and their Superheavy regiments managed to rout the 90th Division of the Republic Territorial Army's Mixed Command North. After the defeat of the Causeway National Army, significant military resources were dedicated (independently) by the UF, Heartland and Great Empire to find and destroy all of the HA1's to prevent their continued use by militia factions or enemy powers. The last HA1 to be reported destroyed was at the Battle of Tripark in Southern Causeway in September ERA 09-49, where an isolated unit of the fragmented Causewegian Army fought against the Republic Marine Army. The lightly armoured and weakly armed tanks of the Marines had proved to be no match for the mighty Fortress Tank, however concentrated fire from about a dozen 210mm Artillery batteries managed to disable the vehicle. Overall, 15 out of the original 19 tanks have been confirmed to be destroyed. A twentieth, incomplete hull was recovered by the United Forces when the factories producing the tanks were overrun in July ERA 09-49. After ERA 09-55 Like most tank designs from before the ERA 09-55 Offensive, the Superheavy Tank concept proved to be less effective on the modern battlefield. The huge mobile fortresses that Causeway relied on for their national defence had too many flaws, and was nowhere near as versatile as the Main Battle Tank that would be the backbone of the armoured forces. Due to the fact that not all HA1's have been accounted for, it its possible that operational Fortress Tanks still lie hidden in Causeway and the surrounding area, either in secret underground storage hangars, or either camouflaged or covered up, and concealed in deserted parts of the nation. Its unknown if any of these supposed surviving vehicles are still working. Category:Heavy Tanks Category:Vehicles used by the Causeway National Army Category:Premier Timeline